what was i thinking
by Turtlefanforlife1982
Summary: this is my version of how Melissa was treated in Dadnapped, follow Melissa as she tries to save her self and her father.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Dadnapped! Disney channel does!**

**A/N: this is an alternate story to the movie Dadnapped, its way different then the movie is, well not that much different. This will probably be rated T for some violence. This is my first story away from my Hannah Montana stories I have been writing. I will still have chapter 3 of Choices we make out in July or August; for some reason or another I had an idea for this movie so I am working on two things at once! **

**Summery: What really happened when Melissa and Neil Morris are kidnapped? How was Melissa treated since she pretty much forced Skunk and his brother to take her along as well.**

Fifteen year old Melissa had been so excited to spend some quality time with her father. They had made plans

months ago to go on this vacation, Melissa's dad is a writer and he is a best selling author or the amazing Trip

Zoom. Melissa and her dad had grown apart from each other due to Neil divorcing Melissa's mother years prior. Melissa had been flat out angry when she learned her father changed the plans at the last minute, but now she

was flat out scared to death as she sat beside her father in the back of a uniform truck. She was chewing her father out in front of the Library when these two men came up and grabbed her father. One of them was very tall and had dark hair on the sides of his head; but straight down the middle of his head was blond hair as light as

hers. The other man was barley taller then her, he was a thin black man who appeared to be the ring leader of the operation. Just as Skunk was attempting to handcuff her father she took the other cuff and put it on her own wrist.

Now Melissa sat in the back of this old uniform truck going to an unknown destination with her father sitting next to her. As they pulled up to an old abandoned drive up theater she began to get scared. Her dad kept whispering to her that everything would be OK. She didn't know how to believe that, after all these two were awful nuts.

When Maurice parked the truck he got out, Skunk walked over to Neil and said "OK, we are here, now come on." he took Neil ruffly by the arm forcing the much shorter man to stand up. Neil tried to keep his right arm down so it wouldn't be hurting Melissa when he got jerked around. Neil walked to the far back of the truck; Skunk stopped him and uncuffed Neil and Melissa. He waited for Neil to get down off the truck before taking the second set of handcuffs and ruffly handcuffing Melissa's hands behind her back.

Melissa knew better then to fight the man but she wanted to so badly, once inside the building Skunk threw her on the couch beside her father. Neil automatically said "are you OK sweetheart?" Melissa nodded and said "I'm fine dad..." just then Maurice said loudly "OK, so here is what is going to happen. Neil my brother has a gift, his

dream is to become a writer. Now you are going to help him with that dream." Melissa stood up suddenly and said "why do we wanna help you? Your nothing but a jerk! What ever it is that you wanna do to us you can forget it! Send his publisher a ransom note!" Neil reached up and pulled his daughter back down onto the couch. Maurice said annoyed by the teenagers out burst "listen here princes you keep that mouth up and I will bop it!" Melissa settled back down into the couch, Skunk came into the room with a very thick notebook. He dropped it down into Neil's lap and said "this is what I want you to fix."

After Skunk uncuffed him so his hands were free he flipped threw the pages, Neil said "so you want me to write this book?" Maurice said "no... not write, just fix." Melissa peeked over her dad's shoulder and said "dang I think that my dog could right better then this!" Neil said softly but sternly to her "shh, stop it Melissa." Maurice said

threateningly "kid... this is your last warning." Melissa was quiet again, she was angry and frustrated. Maurice said to Neil "OK, now we are going to go outside wile you work on the book..." Neil said worriedly "but even with the best writer's this could take weeks or even months to do!" Maurice said "months, years I really don't care...

the faster you write the quicker you can go home..." Melissa stood back up this time moving out of her father's reach and said "years? In this stink hole! You can forget it! We wont work for you!" Maurice had enough of her mouth, Neil knew what was going to happen and said "don't hurt her! I will do it! Just please don't hurt her!" Maurice had walked around the table and walked up to Melissa, he heard Neil make his plea but he didn't care at

this point. The kid annoyed him, he took her by the arm and said "your coming with me kid!" Melissa had a bad feeling deep in her gut; she knew she was now in a world of trouble. She heard her father's pleas but knew that it was no use now that she had pissed the short bald man off. Skunk stood there, he didn't know what to think, he stopped his brother and said "I-its OK Mo... just leave her alone... Neil will write fast... then we don't have to put up with either of them."

Maurice looked up at his little brother and said "fine! But one more stupid comment out of you..." he pushed Melissa out of his way causing her to fall, since her hands were tied she couldn't get her self up. Skunk bent down and helped her stand up, he lead her back to the couch and made her sit back down. Neil had tears in his eyes,

he was scared for his daughter, he knew how tough she was; and knew that her mouth has gotten her into trouble in the past. He said to her pleadingly "Melissa please don't do this... not here... and not now. Please honey just cooperate, you wont get hurt if you just do what they say OK?" Melissa had tears in her own eyes but

she didn't dare to admit that what she said was wrong. They watched as Skunk and Maurice walked out of the building locking the doors be hind them. Neil stood up and said "OK, I better get started..." he took the notebook over to a messy desk and pushed a couple piles of trash off of it so he could sit down. Just then the double doors

opened back up and Skunk walked in alone, not saying a word Neil watched as Skunk walked over to Melissa and had her stand. Neil said "what are you doing?" Skunk looked at him and said "its OK... I'm not going to hurt her... I'm just uncuffing her. Please don't tell my brother that I did..." Neil got the feeling that Skunk was afraid of his

brother's horrible temper, he nodded and said "thanks." Skunk nodded and gently unlocked the handcuffs, he put them back in his pocket and told her softly "if for some reason we have to leave in a hurry I will have to put these back on you." Melissa looked up at him with untrusting eyes and said "what ever nimrod." Neil said her name sternly "Melissa!"

Skunk didn't seem the least bit fazed by what she said to him, he quickly walked out of the building again. Neil gave his daughter a look then started working again. About 3 hours went by, Melissa had been just walking

around the trashy room looking at everything the entire time. She even found one of her dad's books on a table and picked it up, she read a little but put it down and walked some more. She was bored out of her mind, her dad looked over at her and said "how are you holding up?" Melissa just looked at him and said "i want out of here. Dad I didn't sign up for this, why cant we just make a run for it? I found a back door... why cant we just leave."

Neil looked at her and said "Melissa, we cant... we don't know what those guys are capable of doing... I don't even what to know what Maurice wanted to do to you when you ran your mouth at him."

Melissa rolled her eyes at him and just walked around the room, she walked up to the front doors and said "hey dad, what we need is a distraction!" she began to bang on the doors, Neil in panic jumped up out of his seat and said "no! Melissa please don't! You will get your self in even more trouble if you start with silly ideas." he walked

back to his chair and sat down. Melissa looked at him and said "oh... silly... so we are back to that are we? How could I possibly have any good ideas that could be worthy of the amazing Trip Zoome." Neil looked over at her and saw tears in her crystal blue eyes, he felt bad for what he said to her and stood back up and walked over to

her "honey, I didn't mean it like that..." Melissa said to him " just own it dad, you care about Trip more then your own daughter! You always have! Did you even know that I won a middle school creative writing award?" Neil's

eyes grew wide and he said excitedly "you did? That's great Melis..." she interrupted him and said "two years in a row dad... and what about my dance recitals? You missed every one of them." by now she had tears running down her face, Neil felt tears welling up in his own eyes knowing how hurt his daughter was. He said "Melissa I wanted to be there... I really did honey... I love you don't you know that?" Melissa disregarded what he said and said "you missed out on every one of my dance recitals! I was on the A honor roll for the last three years! What are my interests dad? Huh? What do I like?"

Neil was quiet, he relived a painful truth: he had no idea what his daughter liked... she turned from him and said "sorry I brought it up..." she turned away and began to walk away from him when the room lit up with red and blue lights. A loud siren filled the air, Melissa thought to her self "_yes! We are saved!" _suddenly the entire room went pitch black, and Skunk ran in the door he said "we have to get going... now!" he cuffed Neil and shoved him

out the door; he turned back to Melissa who was putting her coat back on. He walked up to her and took her hands ruffly and slapped the hand cuffs on her, she cried out but he just ignored her. He grabbed her ruffly by the back of her coat and pushed her out the door shutting it behind them. He didn't seem to relies that she was only 5 feet 2 inches tall, he nearly made her fall down because he kept pushing her and running into her. Once they

got to the truck he said "oh shoot! I forgot that dang notebook..." he didn't seem to relies that he still had a hold of Melissa when he turned around suddenly. This time she lost her balance and fell down, he looked back but ran into the building and got the notebook. He grabbed her arm and forced her to follow him, he all but threw her into the truck. She caught her balance and sat down next to her dad, he saw the scrape on her hand from her fall outside and said "how did that happen?"

Melissa looked at Skunk who was now sitting in the passenger seat and said "he pushed me down! Jeez Skunk did you forget that I am only a foot shorter then you!" Skunk looked back at her and said "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to!" Maurice said angrily "oh shut up; both of you!" he peeled out of the parking lot and down a gravel road that was filled with branches all over the road and pot holes. They drove for miles before Skunk said to his brother "so where are we going?" Maurice said "well we are going to keep driving until he finishes that book." Neil didn't say a word as Skunk handed him the notebook. They drove as Neil worked on the book, they hit yet

another pot hole and the book went flying. Melissa bent down and picked it up, she said "guys this is crazy, my dad needs a real place to write." Maurice said to her "deal with it." Melissa rolled her eyes and said "come on... you want this book done soon don't you?" Maurice looked at her in the mirror and said "yes..." Melissa continued "then lets go some where so he can write." Neil was sending her warning glares the entire time she was talking

but she ignored him. Maurice said "fine the kid has a point. We are going back to the hotel." he got another few miles up the road when he noticed the low gas light came on, he said annoyed "oh great!" Skunk said "what's

wrong?" Maurice said angrily "we are almost out of gas." Melissa said to them "when we find a gas station, I have to go to the bathroom..." Maurice looked back at her and said "not my problem." Neil said to him "come on guys be reasonable..." Skunk spoke up "I will go with her Maurice..." both Neil and Melissa said "what?" Skunk added quickly "I mean I will stay by the door..." Maurice said to him "OK fine, but no funny business kid, or else."

They pulled up to the gas station, Melissa stood up and walked to the back doors and waited for Skunk to open it. She jumped down once he did, she noticed that Maurice was watching her every move. Skunk walked her to the bathrooms and said "OK hurry up." she went inside the bathroom and shut the door, she could not believe how everything was turning out. She thought to her self "_those sirens earlier had to be Wheeze and his buddies, I no we didn't loose them in the desert. How can I send them a sign that I am OK?" _She looked into the mirror and tried to

straighten her hair, she had an idea as to how to send them a sign; she pulled out the Trip Zoome book from her pocket and tore out the page in the book where it said 'presidential' on it. She used her lip gloss and circled it, just then there was loud knocking on the door and Skunk said "come on hurry up!" Melissa said annoyed "you

wish! Maybe next time you wont make me hold it for so long! And go over all of those pot holes." Skunk sighed and began to get frustrated at her, just then Maurice walked up beside him "is she done yet?" Skunk said "no, she is taking forever!" Maurice banged on the door and said "you better hurry up kid! Don't make me come in there!"

Melissa knew he meant business and said to him "ha how are you getting in? The door is locked!" Maurice walked around the side of the building and found a trash dumpster, he used a large box to stand on to get on top of it. He peeked in the window and saw that Melissa was standing just behind the door. He pried the window open and jumped inside, Melissa jumped when she saw Maurice walk up to her. She made an attempt to get away before he grabbed her and said "nice try you little brat, now get moving! If you really have to go to the bathroom then do it! If not then get back in the truck!" Melissa walked to the stall that had a window in it, he grabbed her

and said "don't even think about it..." she gulped when she saw he was serious, she went into a different stall. She went to the bathroom and came back out, she washed her hands. Maurice asked her "so what is with the book page?" she looked at the top of the mirror and said "uh... nothing." he had enough of her and smacked her hard, she had tears well up in her eyes; she put her hand on her face and said "its nothing." he raised his hand

at her again and she backed away, he said to her "want to run your mouth any more? Because trust me, you don't want to do that!" he pushed her up against the wall and said "now tell me why you did that?"

Her mouth felt dry and she said "i-i-i was hoping... that um... those...kids from the van... would um..." Maurice finished for her and said "would what? Rescue you? Good luck with that!" he stood up on tip toes and got the paper down, he crumpled it up and threw it in the trash. "just remember your not going anywhere!" Melissa felt

tears running down her face, she knew these guys were bad news... he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to the door. Melissa knew better then to fight him, when Maurice opened the door Melissa wanted so badly to make a run for it. But not only did she have no where to go, these guys had her dad. She stumbled slightly and she felt Maurice tighten his grip, she now realized he had a chunk of her hair in his fist. He pushed her up into the truck

and said "try anything else and things wont be so rosy for you!" in saying he slammed the door. Melissa sat down next to her father, he looked at her concerned and asked "honey what happened?" Melissa still had tears in her eyes and said "I... uh... tried to escape..."

Neil said to her "Melissa... honey... you can't be doing that... don't try and be heroic honey." Melissa looked out the small window her face hurt from where Maurice slapped her. About an hour later they pulled up to the hotel, Maurice got out and went around to the back side of the truck. He opened the door and stepped up into the back he grabbed Melissa and pulled her off the truck first, he said to his brother who was just walking up to them "take her... and don't let her out of your site!" he got back up in the back and got Neil, Neil said to him "why cant you

just let Melissa go? I am the person you want, not her." Maurice looked at him and said "because... she will go to the cops and then it will be all over..." Neil said "not if I tell her not to, she will listen to me." Maurice scoffed and

said "like she has listened to you so far... come on lets go." just as Neil jumped down Merv came from around the corner. He walked up to them and said "hey hows the book coming?" Maurice said "well we keep having problems..." he looked over at Melissa when he said that, then he continued "anyway the terrain is too bad so we had to come back here." Melissa was in shock she said to Merv "wait? Your working with them?" Merv walked up to her and said "actually they work for me."

Melissa said "but wait, before... you helped me?" he pinched her cheek that had a bruise forming and said "and you were so good at leading me to your father..." Neil cut in and said angrily "don't you touch her!" Merv looked up at him and said "hey... any way, we are going to finish that book if its the last thing you do!" Maurice grabbed Melissa by the back of her coat and pushed her ahead of them, Skunk pushed Neil along. They went down some

stairs then up two flights, they came to a door, when Merv opened it they went in. Neil was placed in front of a computer, and Melissa was placed in a hanging chair chained to the ceiling. Maurice handcuffed her to the hanging chair, he told her "start your shit again and you will find out how bad my temper is." Merv duck taped Neil to the chair and said "I don't care what you two do to her just make sure that the book gets done. I have to go back to

work." after he secured Neil he left the room, Neil looked back at his daughter who by now had tears running down her face. He noticed a bruise forming on the side of her face, he asked her "how did that bruise get there?"

Melissa looked over at Maurice and said to her dad "he did it... when we stopped for gas... it was when I tried to get away..." Neil looked over at Maurice and said "when I get out of here I am going to make sure you pay for that! She is just a kid!" Maurice walked over to him and said "your not in any position to be making threats... so if I were you I would shut up and write." Neil turned to the computer and started writing, hours went by and he

had several pages written. He yawned and looked over at Melissa, she had fallen to sleep sitting in the chair. He looked over at their captors and noticed that they were sleeping too, he scooted the chair back and leaned forward and laid his head on the desk. It took him a bit but he fell asleep sitting in his chair.

The next morning Melissa woke up, she had a terrible kink in her neck and her arm hurt badly from it hanging all night. She noticed her dad was sleeping, Skunk was sitting at the kitchenette table eating. She moved around in her seat trying to get comfortable, it just wasn't possible. Skunk turned around to see that Melissa was awake,

he got up and walked over to her. She looked up to him nervously he noticed and said softly "its OK... I'm not going to hurt you." Melissa noticed he had the key, he took her hand and uncuffed her. Her arm fell into her lap,

she knew she was going to hurt for a day or so because of that. She noticed that Maurice wasn't in the room, she asked "where did Maurice go?" Skunk said "he went to talk to Merv, if you need to go to the bathroom or anything I would do it now. Mo left about 5 minutes ago, he will be back though."

Melissa got the feeling that Skunk felt intimidated by his short big brother; she said to Skunk "why are you suddenly being nice to me?" Skunk looked at her and said "because... Mo isn't being nice to you... he has always hated girls, even when we were kids. We used to have a little sister... but he drove her away." Melissa frowned, she noticed her dad stirring and walked over to him. Neil tried to clear his foggy head when he saw his daughter

standing next to him, "Melissa? How did you..." Melissa answered him "Skunk let me free..." Skunk walked up to them and said "its only temporary, I am not sure what my brother will say or do knowing I let her go for a little

bit." Melissa didn't say a word and went to the bathroom. Wile she was in there she could hear talking out on the street threw the open window. After she finished what she was doing she looked out, she saw Merv and Maurice standing on the sidewalk talking.

She walked out of the bathroom and stood by her dad who was back to typing quickly, he looked up at her and said "are you OK this morning?" she nodded and walked over to her seat and sat down. Skunk suddenly moved from his spot again at the table and said "hey kid, can I trust you not to make a run for it?" Melissa looked up at him and then back at her father who was looking at her questioningly Melissa said to Skunk "yes you can trust

me..." he quickly walked into the bathroom and shut the door, he was in there for some time. Melissa made her self useful and began to help her father with the book, about 15 minutes later Skunk came out of the bathroom;

he almost had a panicked look about him as he said "kid, I have to tie you back up..." She looked up at him and said "but I didn't leave... please no, let me just help my father... it will get done a lot faster with two of us..."

Skunk knew it hurt her to be handcuffed like that, he took the cuff off the chair and walked over to her, "I'm sorry... I have to... Maurice and Merv are on their way up here. I cant let them find you loose, I could hear them talking, please just cooperate." Melissa felt tears in her eyes as she turned around with her hands behind her

back, Skunk held her chair still as she sat back down. Neil knew that Melissa was stronger then this but he also knew she was an angry teenager with a lot of emotions building up. Just then Merv and Maurice walked in, they both looked over at Melissa and then to Neil who kept looking back at his daughter. Merv said loudly "so how is

the book coming?" Neil looked at him with daggers in his eyes and said "fine... its coming... it is gonna take some more time though." Merv walked over to him and said "sooner is a lot better then later... why cant you get it done today?" Neil looked up at him and said "I want my daughter's help... if you don't at least let her help me then I wont write the book." Merv could tell that Neil was standing his ground on this, he finally said "OK fine, the kid can help." he walked over to her and said "but... no funny business got it!"

Melissa looked up at him and said "don't worry, with you and those two having my dad, I wont leave... I'm not gonna leave my dad here with you... so just get that out of your damn head you freak!" Merv wanted nothing more then to smack her, but he refrained, he said "hmm, maybe we should duck tape her mouth shut so we don't have to hear her talk." Neil looked at his daughter and said "Melissa, please don't make this any harder on your self." Melissa sighed and Maurice came over and uncuffed her, Merv walked out of the room and went back to the lobby. Melissa walked over to her dad and for the next several hours they worked together on the book. Melissa

took a break and read one of her father's books, she flipped past a picture of Trip's signal of strength. Maurice walked over to her, she closed the book suddenly, he said "OK your breaks over now get back to work!" she put the book on the table and walked back over to the computer Maurice went to the bathroom and Skunk was sleeping on the couch. Melissa knew that Maurice's hearing was too good so she wrote her father a message.

She looked over to her father and said "dad, can you see if this is OK?" he walked over expecting to read something she was working on the computer instead the screen said:

_Dad, I have a plan... the next time I go to the bathroom I am going to use what ever I find in there to make Trip's signal of strength. I know those kids in the van will see it and get help... don't worry I know what I am doing OK._

Neil highlighted the words and deleted them so that Maurice wouldn't see it, he looked at his daughter and said "I think that could work, um are you sure about it though?" Melissa said to her dad "yea I am sure." Melissa got a pen and a pad and sat in the hanging chair and started to write some more. After about half an hour she got up

and walked back over to her dad and gave him what she worked on. He looked up at her and said "thanks honey, great job on these characters." she picked up her Trip book and smiled at her dad "thanks." she put the book down and walked over to the window, she saw a fire escape. She wanted so badly to open the window and go out but she knew better. She saw a bunch of people outside that were filling up water balloons, and squirt guns. She knew that the Calvary had arrived, all she had to do now was send the signal, she saw Wheeze and couldn't help but be amazed that he was assembling a rescue squad.

Maurice came out of the bathroom and said to Melissa "why aren't you working? That was the only reason you could be free." Neil spoke up "I told her to let me write down what she has already written before doing anything else." he walked away in disgust, he didn't like this kid at all. Neil finished what Melissa wrote and said to her "honey, would you get me a drink." he was still taped to the chair, the only thing he could move were his hands.

Maurice wasn't watching when she grabbed a pair of scissors and walked back over to her dad along with a bottle of water. She bent down beside him and cut the tape that held him to the chair. Neil could feel that she was doing something and sat still, he gave her a sideways look and whispered "Melissa... what are you doing?" in a low voice she said "what does it look like? I am saving your butt, those kids from the van are getting ready to attack. They have a poesy outside and they are ready all I have to do now is send the signal."

Just then the door opened and Merv came walking in, he said to Neil "what's buzzin cousin? Is the book done yet?" Melissa ducked under the desk, she noticed that her father idly pushed a pen off the desk and onto the floor. She picked it up, left the scissors on the floor and stood up. She said to her dad "here, I got this for you."

Neil looked at Merv and said "no not yet, almost though." Merv looked at Melissa and asked "what were you doing down there?" Melissa looked nervous and said "I just got dad's pen, he dropped it." Merv walked over to Melissa and then looked at Neil he said to Melissa "what did I tell you about no funny stuff?" Maurice looked over at them and said "what did she do now?" Merv looked at him and said "she cut her father loose..." Melissa had a

bad feeling come over her, Maurice said "hmm, I think it is high time I teach you a lesson!" Melissa moved away from them and backed up to the window, Skunk was awake by this time and grabbed her. Maurice took her ruffly by the arm and dragged her to the bathroom, Melissa could hear her father calling out to her.

Maurice shut the door and said to her "now your gonna get it! I think I have been more then patient with you!" in saying he took his belt off, Melissa backed up to the bathroom window, she knew she was too high up for any one to see her. Maurice turned her around and hit her with his belt several times, she screamed. Far below the

window Wheeze could hear Melissa, he looked up and barley saw her at the window. After Maurice was done he took her back out to the main room, Neil could see his daughter's face was drenching wet from tears. Maurice handcuffed her back to the hanging chair, this time he made it so that both hands were cuffed together. She

nearly had to stand on tip toes to keep the pain from her wrists, Merv said "now she wont be any trouble." Just then there was a loud scream from the street, Merv walked to the window and looked down, he saw hundreds of kids down there.

Out of no where balloons came flying in that had colored liquid in them, Merv was covered in moments. One hit Melissa's back, she cried out in pain, more came flying in. Merv ran from the window and said "lets get out of here! You two take her I will get him!" Maurice uncuffed Melissa and grabbed her by the back of the coat, he wasn't at all carefull to avoid touching touching her back. The pair of them were pushed down the stairs and out of the room. They raced down many flights of stairs, they got to an open stairwell and they could hear some one say

"nice try losers!" suddenly pudding, melted ice cream and yogurt came flying at them. Melissa ducked, Neil and Merv got the most of it. All five of them went back inside, Skunk said "what do we do now?" Maurice didn't notice that he had loosened his grip on Melissa until she shouted "FLOSS!" and darted up the stairs she could hear her father say "run Melissa!"

Melissa ran as fast as she could up the stairs she could hear Skunk and Maurice behind her, she heard Maurice say "slow down! We wont hurt you!" Melissa jumped up on a step and went faster and said "I'm not sticking around to find that out! Here is a slippery Trip trap!" she had swiped a bottle of shampoo from the bathroom a

wile before and put it in her deep pockets on her red coat. She squeezed the bottle making the slimy liquid go on the stairs, she could hear a couple of loud thuds as Maurice and Skunk fell down the stairs. She stopped and walked slowly down to the landing and said "have a nice trip?" they both looked up at her dazed, suddenly

Melissa could hear running footsteps, she went down a couple of steps to see who it was. It was Wheeze, his brother and friend, when Wheeze saw her they both smiled at each other She said to him slightly out of breath "am I glad to see you guys!" Wheeze noticed the bruise on her face and said "what did they do to you?"

Melissa gave him a thanks for caring smile and said "it doesn't matter now, so do we wanna use..." she pulled two small white boxes out of her pocket, Wheeze chuckled when he saw it was dental floss, she continued as she popped both boxes open "wax or mint?" the boys tied up Maurice and she tied up Skunk, the four teens stood up

and Melissa said "OK now to find my dad!" all four teenagers ran down the stairs, just as they rounded a corner some one grabbed Melissa. She spun around to see Merv, he said "well, well, well; look at who we have here..." she looked over at her father who was still duck taped around his arms and hands, he had tears of frustration in

his eyes, he whispered "Melissa..." Melissa was tired of being grabbed all the time so she did the unexpected; she spun around fast and kneed Merv in the gonads. He went to the ground in pain, Melissa turned to her father who stared at her in shock. She took the duck tape off of him and said "come on dad lets get out of here!"

Once they got outside Melissa and her dad saw the police show up, one officer got out and said "are you Neil and Melissa Morris?" Neil said "yes we are, the guys you want are inside in the stair wells; two are on the third floor landing and the other one is on the first floor landing." after the men were taken into custody some of the officers took Neil and Melissa's statements about what had happened. The charges were: kidnapping, grand theft auto, child endangerment along with child abuse. The three men were looking at 10 years in prison each.

_Hours Later..._

The large Ballroom was filled with Trip Zoome fans, on the stage stood Neil Morris he said into the microphone "First of all I want to thank all of your for your heroic actions this morning. Now there is something I need to take care of; and that is the Zoome enough prize. All good ideas come from some where, and putting those ideas into

actions... well it borders on insanity and desperation... I want to award all of you with a free copy of my next book. The grand prize winners are: Sheldon! Wheeze and Andre! And of coarse none of us would be here right now if it wasn't for her bravery and quick thinking. 15 years ago was when I first thought up Trip Zoome, the inspiration came from my infant daughter... threw the years I have watched her grow into a fine young lady... but the last couple of days I have seen her fight the odds to save us... she never gave up... lets give it up to my daughter Melissa!"

Melissa had tears in her eyes while her dad was talking, she looked around the room at every one clapping and cheering. She felt as though everything was moving in slow motion as she ran up on stage and into her father's open arms. She felt as though time was standing still and it was just her and her father standing there. She looked up at him and said "I love you." he smiled down to her and said "I love you too."

About half an hour later found Neil and Melissa outside the hotel getting ready to pull out, Wheeze came up to them and said "Melissa wait!" she was reaching for the door handle when she heard him. He said "I was going to give you my number... you know... just in case... you wanted... to..." he paused, Melissa smiled knowing what he

wanted to say and finished his sentence "go out?" he said "yes that is what I was trying to say." Melissa laughed and said "OK, I have some conditions..." Wheeze said breathlessly "anything." "OK no guys in weird costumes, no dental floss, and no police intervention." Wheeze nodded and said "you have a deal!" they both laughed and she took his number and stuck it in her pocket.

After saying goodbye to everyone Melissa asked her dad as they drove away "dad? How are we going to explain this all to mom?" Neil tightened his grip on the steering wheel and said "uh... that is a good question... how about we don't tell her..." just then her cell phone rang, she saw it was her mother, she looked at her dad and said

"guess who!" he said calmly "just be cool about it, hopefully she doesn't know..." Melissa flipped her phone open and said "hey mom." Susie said "why did I see you on the news?" Melissa's eyes grew wide and she whispered to her dad "she knows..." he took the phone from her and said to his ex wife "honey hey, look I can explain what happened..." the entire way to the camping grounds Neil told his distraught ex the entire story about what had happened... he left out some things like how Melissa was treated but other then that; he told her everything.

**The End**


End file.
